Unexpected Gift
by Robert Teague
Summary: 2nd in the Green Glory series. A late night visitor has a gift for Kim.


Unexpected Gift 

A sequel/companion piece to "In a Blaze of Green Glory".

by Robert Teague

This story is written solely for the entertainment of Kim Possible fans, and no copyright infringment is intended. This story may be reproduced, provided no changes are made, and you let me know.

Two years had passed since the Possible family, along with Ron, Rufus, and Shego had saved the world from being destroyed by an asteroid. Shego, who was dying of cancer brought on by her power, lost her life when she used it to break up the asteroid. The result was a splendid, and harmless, new annual meteor shower.

As the last light of the sun faded away and the stars grew brighter, Kim Possible and her fiance Ron Stoppable prepared to spend the evening watching the shower.

Kim lay out a blanket as Ron opened the picnic basket. Rufus dived from Ron's shoulder into it and disappeared, making scrabbling noises as he did.

The young couple lay down, Kim resting her head on Ron's shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her. They shared a kiss and a smile.

They were silent a few minutes as their eyes adjusted to the dark. The first meteors of the night flashed across the sky.

"I really like that warehouse you found," said Kim, "It will take a lot of hard work, but worth it when it becomes Team Possible Headquarters."

"Yeah, plenty of room for everything. As long as I get to put in a good kitchen," said Ron.

"That's a given," said Kim with a smile. Ron's skill with food had only improved with time.

They talked awhile about their plans for the new headquarters, gettting more and more speculative and grandiose as they did.

A particularly bright meteor drew their attention back to why they were there. Several hours passed, and they enjoyed the show.

About ten o'clock Kim sat up. "Well, we need to call it a night. I have to get up early for that appointment with Dr. Director."

"Wish I could be there, but Mom needs a ride to Upperton at the same time," he replied.

"I know. I'll fill you in later. We still on for lunch?" asked Kim, folding the blanket.

"Yep. Bueno Nacho at noon," said Ron.

"Mmmm... naco!" said Rufus, rubbing his belly as he popped up out of the basket.

Ron scooped him up, closed the basket, and followed Kim back to the house.

Later, Kim stood at her closet, dressed in her nightclothes, hanging up dresses fresh from the dryer. She put away the last one, and then pulled the hangers to the right. Against the left side of the closet was a neatly-hanging green and black jumpsuit. On the floor beneath it were the boots, and the gloves were lying across them. It was Shego's costume Kim had retrieved from the Space Center after they had returned from the mission.

She had kept it to remember her long-time enemy, and short-time friend. She ran a hand down the suit, smiling wistfully. The sadness of loss was still there, but had been muted with time.

She closed the closet door, turned out the lights, and went to bed, thinking of Shego,  
Ron, and the new building.

At two A.M. the next morning, she half-woke, thinking she had heard someone call her name.

-kim-

"Hmmm?" she murmured, not opening her eyes.

-kim, wake up- said the voice.

She opened her eyes, and found her room was filled with a flickering green light. She sat up, and discovered herself face to face with a bright, but not blinding, green orb with black highlights. It reminded her of ball lightning.

"Whaaa..." she said, startled, and the orb retreated a few feet.

-hi, kim, long time no see- said the voice. It didn't seem to be coming from any particular place, but she looked around anyway. There was also no inflection in the voice, like it was spoken by a machine.

"Who are you?" she asked, "And where are you?"

-you know me, and i am right in front of you- was the reply.

She shook her head. "Sorry, I don't know any disembodied voice, and green ball. Jim, Tim,  
is this one of your jokes?"

-they are asleep. it is just you and me- said the voice.

Kim crossed her arms and looked stubborn.

-you really do not recognize me, do you?- said the voice. She felt a touch of amusement that seemed separate from the voice.

Kim shook her head.

-how about now?- Suddenly, the ball expanded and elongated, the green and black colors flowing to certain places, and it took on human form.

"SHEGO!" shouted Kim. She got out of bed, and made to hug the figure.

-do not touch me!- said Shego, losing her form and retreating to the ceiling. -i am pure energy now. you would be badly hurt or killed if you did-

Kim stopped and lowered her arms, then sat on the bed. She stared at the strange object,  
then said, "What happened to you? Why are you like that? Don't take it the wrong way,  
but why aren't you dead?"

-my space suit dissolved as the asteroid broke up, and the glow absorbed my mind before I died- was the reply.

"How could that have happened?" asked Kim, in wonder.

-the glow isn't alive, or intelligent as such, but it has been programmed to react in certain ways to certain conditions and events. remember when you broke aviarius' staff, and the glows returned to their users? that's why- said Shego.

"I did wonder about that. It should have just dissapated," said Kim.

-that's right. the glow cannot be used for evil indefinately, which is why i got cancer and my brothers didn't. when i stopped doing evil, the cancer went into remission- said Shego.

"I remember that," said Kim.

There was a pause, then Kim said, "Shego, I'm really sorry I couldn't save you."

-not your fault, kim. i did what i had to, to keep you safe, then did what needed to be done. even you can't do everything- was the reply.

"What have you been doing for the last two years?" asked Kim.

-has it been that long? i've been learing to understand and control what i have become- said Shego. -i understand the glow and its programming now, but it's frustrating because it has no memory of past events. what it is and where it came from are still mysteries-

Kim nodded. "If you're energy now, how are you talking to me? Telepathy?" asked Kim. She folded her legs under her on the bed.

-no. what i am doing is closer to radio. i am sending an electrical signal directly to your brain, which it interprets as speech. i cannot hear, so i am reading your replies the same way- said Shego.

"Amazing..." said Kim. "What do things look like to you now?"

There was a long silence. -i no longer have any human senses. i don't think i could make it clear to you how i perceive things now-

"Never mind, then," said Kim. "Do you know what has gone on while you were... away?"

-no. could you tell me?-

Kim spent the next forty-five minutes filling Shego in on what had happened after the mission.

-the lack of honor to me does not bother me. I thank you for being upset on my behalf,  
though- said Shego.

"So... what are you going to do now?" asked Kim, "Fight crime? Return to villiany?"

Kim once again felt amusement from the orb. -no, neither. my perspective on existence has changed. i now see matter for what it is, and no longer desire it-

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean..." said Kim.

-what is important in the universe is life and intelligence. i can see the light cast from the ...souls, for want of a better word, of every living thing around me-

The voice paused for a few seconds. -kim, i have been around the world, visiting family and everyone i know in secret. the color and brightness of the light i see in them tells me a lot about that person-

-i could not find drakken, but fiske, killigan, all the other villians, are dim and red. you, on the other hand, are pure, deep blue, steady and bright. ron is almost as pure, nearly as bright. there are few others like that in the world-

Kim sat and tried to absorb what she had been told, but finally decided to think about it later, when events weren't so overwhelming.

"May I ask you a question?" said Kim.

-you just did- said Shego, and once again, Kim felt amusement. -what is it?-

"Why did you leave us all that money?" asked Kim.

-money? oh, i remember. because there is no one on earth more deserving. i was your enemy,  
but you opened your heart to me anyway, and helped me when i needed it. and maybe i will have atoned in some small way for the evils that i have done by what you do with it-

"Thank you so much," said Kim.

-no big- replied Shego, and again Kim felt amusement.

"So, what are you going to do now?" asked Kim.

-i have decided on a goal for myself. even though it was years ago, and billions of miles away in space now, i can still sense the energy trail left by the passage of the meteor that gave team go their powers. i am going to backtrack it to its source, and solve that mystery- said Shego.

"That's a great idea," said Kim, but felt again a pang of loss.

-i have a gift for you- said Shego, -it will arrive... now-

There was a flash of light, and a "THUMP!" in the back yard.

-it is here. please go get it- said Shego.

Kim climbed out the window, and walked barefoot into the back yard, where she found a smoking hole in the ground about two feet across. The orb accompinied her.

She knelt by the hole and reached in, touching a dark lump of rock. 'It should be hot,  
but it isn't,' she thought. She lifted it out, and looked at it. It was about the size of a softball, and flakes of rock fell from it.

Acting on instinct, she started peeling pieces of rock from it like an orange. An inch or two in, there was a sudden flash of green light from it. Working faster, she uncovered the object. It was a crystal, the size and shape of a hen's egg, filled with the green and black of Shego's power.

"It's beautiful!" exclaimed Kim, "Is it really for me?"

-yes. this gift serves two purposes. first, to remember me by. second, it is a beacon. i do not know how far i will have to travel, or how long i will be gone, but as long as this crystal exists, i can find my way back-

"I will treasure it, and guard it with my life," promised Kim.

-i expected that answer, and i thank you- said Shego. -but it is not worth your life.you are far more important to the world. remember that-

"I will," said Kim, looking at the orb. "I wish I had a gift for you."

A feeling of warm affection flooded over her. -kim, you have already given me the greatest gift you could; your friendship. i will have happy memories to relive while i journey-

Tears fell from Kim's eyes. "That can't be enough," she said, wiping her face.

-it is. you are very special, kim. your example is a shining beacon to all. if you want to please me, never change that- said Shego.

Kim began to cry, and Shego let her. After a few minutes, she spoke up.

-i am leaving now. goodbye, kim. i hope to see you again someday- said Shego. There was sadness in the voice.

"Do you have to go now?" asked Kim.

-yes. for some reason, i think i should. be well, and have a good life- was the reply.  
Suddenly a tendril of green plasma separated from the orb. It drifted over to Kim, and touched her cheek, caressing it softly. To Kim, it felt almost like a warm hand. Then it vanished.

The orb suddenly began to gain height, and swooped up and away from Middleton.

"Bye..." said Kim, waving. She watched as the ball of light shrank and grew dim. When it was just on the edge of seeing, it suddenly flared up, once, twice, thrice...

Kim waved again, acutely aware of the smooth, cool crystal in her other hand.

The green spark far above faded again, and finally was lost among the stars.

The End

Author's note: This development was planned from the start. The consequences will be revealed in the next story; "Legacy in Green and Black".


End file.
